Family Businesses – Best-in-Class with Minor Flaws

Family businesses are frequently overshadowed by major corporations, yet they make up the majority of businesses in virtually every country in the world. They are, in other words, the backbone of the economy. And the astonishing resilience and sustainability of family businesses, particularly during times of crisis, has brought them into the spotlight again. It’s time, then, for a fresh look at what makes this very traditional type of company tick. Where do family businesses draw the inspiration for their dynamism and innovation? What makes them so successful? And where are they vulnerable to tensions and conflict?

In June 2011, Egon Zehnder surveyed 720 managers worldwide, asking about their experience of family businesses. This prestigious panel of respondents included owners of, and partners in, such businesses, along with top executives both employed in key positions in family businesses and working outside them, adding an external perspective on the way this kind of business operates. The panel also reflected all sectors and all company sizes, from small and medium-sized businesses to large and very large ones.

This is the tenth online survey conducted by Egon Zehnder that looks at current issues in business management through the eyes of an international group of top managers. Its International Executive Panel enables Egon Zehnder to capture the views of key business decisionmakers across the globe in real time.

Family businesses – best-in-class with minor flaws (10th International Executive Panel)
Download as PDF